Source: Tyrann Mathieu will visit Patriots

Credit: AP

The Patriots will host one of the most high-profile prospects in the draft next week.

Former LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu will visit April 5, according to a source. Mathieu was a 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist who was kicked out of school last summer after failing his latest drug test, and he said at the combine that he hasn't smoked pot since Oct. 26. Mathieu conducted an impressively accountable news conference at the combine and harped on the fact that he's trying to win back the trust of NFL teams.

"I know what it's like to be humiliated," Mathieu said at the time. "To go back down that road, not a chance in this world, not a chance in my lifetime again."

The 5-foot-9, 186-pounder can play anywhere in the secondary, but he would seemingly be the best fit as a slot corner in the NFL. Pundits have commonly placed him in the third or fourth round in April's draft.

The Patriots re-signed cornerback Kyle Arrington for four years and $16 million, so there might not be a huge need for another slot extraordinaire. However, Mathieu represents the potential for tremendous mid-round value, and Bill Belichick has never been concerned with overloading one position with talent. Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard's April 11 sentencing will also play a role in the Patriots' approach to drafting a cornerback.